Take Me or Leave Me
by The-Doctors-Song
Summary: Crossover with RENT.When Maureen Johnson discovers her perfect twin sister, Shelby Corcoran, isn't as perfect as she leads everyone to believe, she sets out to finally get one over her older sister.How? By getting the one thing Shelby couldn't.A relationship with Rachel Berry.Bohemia, drugs, Broadway, secrets, tears and reunions. Rating to be safe. Possible Puckleberry.Season 3 AU


**A/N: I know, I know, I shouldn't have started yet ANOTHER story, but I just couldn't resist. I have so many ideas, Two other glee ones, a Wicked one, and some more ideas for my DW ones, but I just had to. *sigh... So I've based Shelby and Maureen's age on Idina, and I've tried to work with what I can, and I'm sorry if some of the dates seem weird, and I'm not sure about the train station, as I'm Australian, so everything based on Google in that regard. Um... I've given Shelby and Maureen a brother, and the ... mini titles? I dunno, but the stuff in both it just the date, time, state/town, location and POV. This is just the prologue, you;ll find out more next time. In this, All of season one happened, except that Puck and Quinn have an open adoption with Shelby, because Shelby didn't want them to go through what she did. As it's set in Season three, Puck did not have a thing with Shelby, Finchel does not exist as far as I'm concerned, and Quinn and Rachel are good friends.**

I wasn't sure what pairing to put this, as it's about all three. Maureen, Shelby and Rachel, and I wasn't sure whether to put this in cross-over or not. I went with not, as the general basic plot is about Shelby and Rachel getting a relationship, but there is heavy Maureen in here so... I hope that was okay. If not, and I get heaps of people telling me to change it, I will, but not if it's like, one or two people.

**Disclaimer: I don't own RENT or Glee. Idina is awesome, and shall forever remain to be so.**

**Hope you like it. Enjoy.**

**Tuesday 14****th**** February 1989, 5:13PM  
Denver, Colorado  
Corcoran Residence  
Shelby**

"Oh, come on darling, be reasonable. Broadway is a pipe dream, a phase you'll grow out of."

"Shelby's studying for Broadway, why can't I?"

"Oh, honey, Shelby has the drive for it."

"And I don't?"

"I'm not… saying that. Charles, help me."

"Your mother just wants what's best for you. The family business is what's best."

"The… The family business? The family business is some corporate crap, and you and I both know that Ryan's going to take that over once he's finished school. You've been grooming him since he was born!"

Shelby watched as her parents argued with her twin sister. Maureen, despite the similarities in looks, was completely different to Shelby. Where Shelby was calm and studious, Maureen was wild and rebellious. They had similar voices but their deliverance was different. Ryan was their younger brother, currently in his sophomore year whilst Shelby and Maureen had graduated less than a week ago. Shelby had dreamt of stage lights and standing ovations since she'd seen her first musical, Maureen had had only become interested in that last few years.

"Fine! If you're not going to support me, I don't care!"

Shelby snapped from her thoughts as her sister stormed form the room, the front door slamming as she left. Sighing, her mother turned to her father.

"Leave her be. She'll come back soon enough." She turned to Shelby, smiling softly as she grazed her hand across her eldest daughter's cheek. "Come now Shelby, we should start packing hm?"

Shelby nodded, glancing at the door as she followed her mother up the stairs.

**Tuesday 14****th**** February, 6:32PM  
Denver, Colorado  
Union Station  
Maureen**

Maureen glared as she handed money over the counter, picking up her ticket and walking through the gates.

'Screw them… She didn't need them. Not her parents, not Ryan, and especially not Shelby.'

She collapsed in her seat, glaring out the window as she pulled out her wallet. Thank god she'd taken out money that morning, otherwise she'd be broke as shit. Counting it out, she winced. Not much, barely enough to rent a hotel room for a week, but it'd have to do.

'Perfect Shelby… Everything's always about Shelby… Fuck 'em.'

As the train moved, she focused on the scenery passing by.

'Goodbye Denver…. Hello New York.'

If she had it her way, she'd never come back here.

**TIME DURING SKIPS**

Charles and Alison Corcoran hadn't heard from Maureen until almost three months after she'd left. At first they'd been frantic, sending out search parties and waiting by the phone for ransom calls. Then they'd been furious. They'd finally received a call from her, and that was because she was ringing to tell them she was a lesbian, had met a woman, and was now getting married… All in the same five minute call.

They'd packed up Shelby's things the day after she'd left, moving her to Upper New York where they'd bought her a condo so she had somewhere nice to stay whilst at NYU.

Where she'd studied for three years before graduating early. All the while never having run in to her twin sister.

Who had been faring worse off than her. Having lived in New York Bohemia, broken up, gotten back together, watched a friend die and other's come close, Maureen was beginning to think maybe her parent's had been right. She wasn't cut out for Broadway.

Then again, she'd yet to see billboards with her face and her sister's name splashed anywhere.

After Shelby had graduated, she found herself running low on cash. Her condo's rent was coming up, and she still had a few student bills to pay off. She refused to call her parents, wanting to live on her own, by her own for once. Then, she saw an ad.

Surrogacy?

It was insane, and possible the most un-thought out plan she'd ever had. It was something she'd expect from Maureen.

But she did it anyway. Contacted the two men asking for a child, heard plans and details of what they wanted, and was planning to do. They'd pay her for the nine months she was pregnant, house her and care for her, then pay another amount once they had their child. They'd move to Ohio, a town where Hiram had grown up, and raise their kid there. It sounded perfect. For both her, and the baby she'd house for months.

So she did it. And she thought she'd be fine.

Until she saw her daughter, who's wide brown eyes were almost identical to her own, and wailing scream ensured lungs and a voice like her powerful alto.

After that, Hiram and Leroy had taken little Rachel and left for Ohio. Leaving Shelby to attempt her dreams with an aching hole in her heart.

December 18 1994 was the best and worst day of Shelby's life.

The same could be said for Maureen.

Who had ended up single yet again, and yet never able to escape the girlfriend she almost married.

Present day, and so many individual things, insignificant things, would lead to the biggest family scandal reaching across three states.

**October 31****st**** 2012 7:46PM  
Lima, Ohio  
Berry Residence**

"I'm Maureen Johnson, my sister is Shelby Corcoran, and you're my niece. Hi."

**A/N: I hope you liked it. You'll find out how Maureen found out about Rachel, why she's there, and Rachel's side of things. In this, Rachel is seventeen, about to turn 18. Reviews would be appreciated please. Laters.**


End file.
